


Baby Sith

by esama



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types, Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Blood and Violence, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Darksider Desmond, Don't copy to another site, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kid Fic, No beta we die like Desmond SURE DIDN'T, cloning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:14:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28697538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esama/pseuds/esama
Summary: In which Desmond Miles is cloned into Star Wars universe under dubious circumstances and ends up presenting as a Sith. Like so many Sith before him, he ends up latching onto Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Desmond Miles
Comments: 304
Kudos: 2432





	1. Obi-Wan meets Desmond

**Author's Note:**

> Unbetaed  
> Originally a prompt fic, prompted on tumblr by kine-iende: ...Obi-wan with Baby-Desmond?

It wasn't what Obi-Wan was there to do. Aacee was an old world with eons of complicated history and culture, and what went on in their black markets wasn't supposed to be any of his business. What was his business is helping the system negotiate a tricky situation concerning a recently established hyperlane route that threatened to destabilise the planet's frankly concerning economy.

Aacee didn't trade in any currency that the Republic used – they dealt in DNA and blood samples, and the sudden influx of thousands of outsiders using Aacee as a pitstop on one of the longest hyperlanes in that quadrant of the galaxy, well. It had quickly flooded the carefully balanced trade-market with an _incalculable_ amount of fresh new _currency_. And it didn't help that Aacee possessed some of the rather disturbing amount of wealth, which they didn't see as wealth...

Already a wealthy Core World businessman had traded some ten thousand blood samples for quite a deal of local metals and minerals – which he'd then gone on to make enormous profit with. On Aacenian side, the injection of so many fresh new DNA samples into their carefully balanced market…

In the words of the Grandmaster of their governmental Order, they were heading into a Blood Recession. 

Obi-Wan had mediated negotiations dealing with various valuable resources before, but literal blood money was new to him. The Aacenians even had money with blood in it, transparent hard flimsy chips with a dot of red liquid preserved inside.

But that wasn't the issue here – the issue is that while investigating various local guilds trying to disrupt the hyperlane situation for their own gain, Obi-Wan had run into…

He's not quite sure what he's run into. But he would know those eyes anywhere. Sith yellow and _sharp,_ and looking at him like their owner could see his every weakness and knew exactly where to stick the lightsaber. There's Force, dark, murderous Force, glowing in those eyes.

And they're in the face of a toddler, sitting inside a glass display in one of the underground gatherings of local black blood markets – with people looking at the display like he's a great valuable.

"A perfect reconstruction," the host of the event says proudly, while the toddler frowns at him. "It took combining more than eighty bloodlines to bring the DNA together in full, but it's 99.8% accurate to the Original Sample. Subject 17, the very first tradable Memory donor, recreated as perfectly as modern sciences can manage."

There's a round of enthusiastic applause, and then… an auction. Obi-Wan listens in a growing horror as the Aacenians vie for the ownership of the child, and what they're musing is by far worse than what they're already doing.

"A near pure version, oh my – I suppose I will let him grow a little before I begin harvesting," one murmurs.

"You could have a female clone made and then breed them…"

"What a marvellous idea!"

"I would be interested in any of the organs, if it ever comes down to biopsying – bone marrow and brain cells especially –"

Through this all, the child just looks around with his Sith yellow eyes, radiating Force and quietly simmering in frustrated helplessness. Every now and then the child's eyes turn to Obi-Wan, and the Jedi could swear there's recognition in those cinder eyes. The child is a Force sensitive – enough so to recognise another Force sensitive on sight. And he's using the Dark Side of the force with a liberal, careless baby hand.

… while around him people are talking about draining his blood and making their fortunes off him, like he's an untapped gold mine, ready to be plundered.

Yes, Obi-Wan is very prompt and thorough in reporting the auction and calling the Guards on all of them – and then he's faced with the look the Grandmaster of the Order gives to the child, awed and distinctively _covetous._

"A near pure clone of the _Original Sample_ –" the Grandmaster breathes. "We could base a whole new economic tradition on his harvested blood!"

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to dash those hopes," Obi-Wan says firmly, while quickly claiming the child from the hands of eager attendants. "Under Republic law, this not only amounts to a clear case of slavery, but also abuse of a sentient youngling."

The child in his arms takes a grip of Obi-Wan's robes, staring up at the Grandmaster and radiating a calm sense of _bad man kill_ at Obi-Wan, who tries very hard not to react. It's not exactly in _words,_ but the intent is very clear.

"Knight Kenobi," the Grandmaster says, somewhere between exasperation and condescension. "You obviously don't understand how our economy functions –"

"No, clearly not, but I will be making a thorough study of it," Obi-Wan says firmly and then adds, "I'm also going to have to report this to the Senate. Do you know that under Republic law the trade of organs of _unwilling, unconsenting_ donors is quite illegal with very heavy ramifications? This includes blood."

"Not if the donors are clones, Knight Kenobi – I know the laws too," the Grandmaster says and goes to take the child from Obi-Wan. "I know our rights – and the clones we use in our economy have next to none."

The toddler makes a discontent noise, pressing closer to Obi-Wan. _Do not want. Death to bad man._

Obi-Wan gives the toddler a soothing little bounce, keeping him well out of arm's reach. "As a Force Sensitive youngling, however, this one does," he says.

The Grandmaster hesitates. "Force Sensitive –" he starts, and then his eyes widen.

"Yes – your black market cloners seem to have done the impossible and produced a Force Sensitive reconstruction of one of your ancient ancestors," Obi-Wan agrees as sweetly as he can, no matter how the idea worries him, and no matter how much murderous intent the baby radiates at him. "And you may trust me, Grandmaster, people will be _very_ interested in the process. It will bring quite the deal of publicity to your fine world – including, I expect, a thorough investigation by the Jedi Order."

It would also bring the planet into public consciousness, including their economic system, which would likely lead to further flooding of their market and its inevitable total destruction. Obi-Wan can't say he particularly cares anymore, knowing now what it was based on. 

The toddler looks up at him, sticks most of his fist into his mouth and thinks, _kill bad man?_

 _No, little one,_ Obi-Wan answers with sigh while the Grandmaster of Aacee sputters in indignation. _No killing today. Be calm, be at peace – bad people won't hurt you, I won't let them._

The toddler sighs, clearly put upon by this refusal, but settles against his side. _Kill bad man later,_ he projects and presses his cheek to Obi-Wan's chest, still chewing on his own fist. His next thought is more muddled and complicated, and amounts to _break all their toys._ Or maybe _dismantle their powerbase and overthrow the government_ , but Obi-Wan rather hopes it's the first one.

Either way, there's still a lot of work to be done in Aacee, and Obi-Wan is determined to do a good job of it, even if he has to do it while never letting the toddler out of his sight for the fear of seeing him kidnapped by blood-hungry Aacenians. And if he ends up forming a fledgeling Force-bond with a toddler _darksider_ despite the fact that he already has a padawan... well.

He'll deal with it later.


	2. Clones meet Padawan Miles

"Master Obi-Wan, time it is. Your reservations this Council has heard, but still final our decision is," General Yoda says in the recorded message, bowing his head slightly. "Difficult the path ahead you is, but confidence in you we have. No one better suited to this task there is. Rise to the challenge you must and, believe this council does that succeed you will."

Beside Cody General Kenobi folds his arms, looking deeply troubled. Cody straightens his back, mentally preparing to face whatever challenge they would throw at the 212th – or to the 7th Sky Corps, whichever this concerned. They had gone through repairs, their stores had been filled, he'd just finished refilling their ranks from latest losses, so they were in a good position for a difficult mission… so as long it didn't turn out this mission the Jedi Council had in mind wasn't a solo mission meant for General alone. And by Force, the Generals should by now know how Clones felt about _those_.

On the hologram General Yoda draws a breath and then nods. "Young Miles, it is. Take him on you must," he says and adds wryly, "You _must_ , for leave the temple he already has despite our objections – come to you he will, whether this Council wills it or not. So will it this council must."

Kenobi's expression does a complicated little twitch before he lets out a little, "Oh," of heavy wry realisation. "I _see_."

Cody glances at him uncertainly and then Yoda continues, finishing his message with. "Reach you young Miles will soon, I'm sure. Prepare you should yourself. May the Force be with you."

"Stars, I can only hope," Kenobi murmurs and sighs as the message cuts off with the High General's bow, leaving them staring at a darkened holotable.

Cody straightens his back. "Sir," he says. "A hostile?"

Kenobi snorts, and shakes his head. "No, not exactly," he says and sighs even heavier. "Please inform the admiral to expect an unmarked Jedi star fighter to drop out of hyperspace at any moment. I wouldn't want our men to shoot down my new padawan."

"Sir," Cody says with some alarm. "I - I thought you said you wouldn't take another Padawan?"

Kenobi sighs again. "Couldn't, Commander, not wouldn't. I had hoped Jedi Shadows could persuade that boy to their side before it came to this, but… I suppose I have been spoken for ever since I met him on Aacee. Oh well. Now, excuse me Commander, I will have to go and prepare my quarters for a permanent guest. Will you inform the Admiral?"

"Yes, sir, of course," Cody says and sends a worried look after the Jedi, as Kenobi heads off, his head bowed and his steps a bit brisker than usual. Whoever Miles is, it seems they're just as troublesome for Kenobi as Skywalker. Guess he better inform the men, too – just in case.

* * *

Waxer and Boil are of course _elated_ about the idea of having a little Jedi Commander of their own. "Not that having a kid around would be, you know… great," Waxer says awkwardly. "Stars know this isn't the place for kids. But still – a little commander. Do you know how old he is? What species? What's his name?"

"You know it's going to be _Kenobi's_ kid, right?" Wooley says, amused.

"Well, _yeah_ , but just look at Tano and the 501st – she's as much theirs as she is Skywalkers," Waxer says, grinning and then looks back at Cody. "What do we know about the kid?"

"The only thing I know is that apparently he stole a Jedi fighter and decided to take things into his own hands as far as this whole apprenticeship goes," Cody says wryly. "The Council had to approve his padawanship under Kenobi after he'd already taken off. Kenobi wasn't happy but he also wasn't surprised, so he's probably been expecting it on some level for a while."

"I like this kid already," Boil says with a snort. "When he's gonna be here?"

"No idea," Cody says. "But it looks like he might end up being a handful – so we're going to support Kenobi as much as we can, as much as he allows us to, in keeping the kid safe. That means assigning a squad under him for protection – "

"I volunteer as squad leader!" Waxer says immediately, actually putting up his hand eagerly, and everyone snorts.

"Right, _great_ , permitted. Waxer's gonna lead the Padawan Squad. Pick your men and stick to the kid so as long as Kenobi doesn't say otherwise," Cody says, shaking his head. "We know the sort of osik Kenobi has to deal with on a daily basis, let's try to make sure the kid stays alive through it. Also, standing order to everyone in the 212th – if you spot a Sith and the kid's there, no matter who it is and no matter if you're in Padawan Squad or not, you grab the kid and go."

"Yes sir," everyone answers in one voice.

"Good," Cody says. "Let's get ready to welcome our new baby commander."

* * *

The new baby commander appears without a warning. No one sees him coming, not even the deep space scanners – he just sort of… lands out of nowhere, setting up his stolen Jedi fighter right in the middle of their fighter bay and then climbing out of it without so much as announcing his presence. And then, while the clones tending to the various crafts in the fighter bay try to come up with something to do, the kid's already gone.

"Um, sir," Cody says, staring at the harried reports from one of the pilots. "I think your padawan is here?"

Kenobi looks up from the star maps and his eyes go a little distant as he searches the force. It takes a moment before he closes his eyes and smiles a little. "So he is," he says, shakes his head ruefully and turns to the map. "Inform the men that there's a human boy of approximate twelve years of age on board and tell them not to shoot him, please."

"Uh… yes sir. Shouldn't we go look for him, though?" Cody asks uncertainly, while quickly sending a message to all hands on board. "It's a big ship, full of… weapons. And grenades. And other things."

Kenobi shakes his head. "He'll be fine – he will want to explore first. He'll find us when he's done."

Cody gives him an uncertain look but as Kenobi seems fairly at ease, so, in the end, he too turns back to work. The question still sits at the back of his head. Kenobi worries and frets over Skywalker and Tano whenever they're near enough for him to do something about them, but with this kid, who's younger than Tano and fresh of the Jedi temple, he just… let's them go and explore a fully kitted war ship full of who knows what kind of dangers. For Force's sake, the ship doesn't even have safety railings.

He stays a little on edge as he works, and still manages to forget about the kid until he's suddenly there.

"Hey, Obi-Wan. Did you know you have a contraband smuggling ring on your ship?"

"Yes, there is one on every ship," Kenobi agrees and turns to look at the kid who just walks up to the room. "Hello Desmond. Didn't think to call ahead?"

The kid is – not particularly impressive looking. About the same size as a five, maybe six year old vod, with a mess of unruly dark brown hair that sticks every which way in curls, dressed in your usual Jedi tunics and tabards, the only variation being that his white tunic has a hood. Though he has a Jedi's utility belt with pouches and loops for tools, there's no lightsaber in sight and Cody gets a sudden sense of oncoming of doom – oh Force, not _another one_.

The boy looks around the command centre with interest. "You would've come up with new excuses or thrown yourself into another campaign and the Council would've tried to hold me back for another four months," he says and looks up at Kenobi, unrepentant, hands at his hips as he stares down – up – at the High General through his messy hair, and there's a glimpse of something there…

"I would have come to get you," Kenobi objects mildly.

Miles looks at him dubiously and shrugs. "Well, now you don't have to," he says. "I'm already here."

Kenobi shakes his head with an amused sigh and reaches forward with one hand, pushing the mess of hair out from covering Miles' eyes, revealing their vivid, golden gleam. "So you are," Kenobi says, peering at those eyes and then smiling slightly. "Well then, my young Padawan. I suppose you need a haircut. But first, introductions. Desmond, this is my Clone Commander, Cody. Cody, my new Padawan learner, Desmond Miles."

"A – pleasure," Cody says, staring at the kids eyes – Sith eyes. _Fuck_. "If you don't mind me asking, sir, where is your lightsaber?"

"Don't have one," the kid says and pulls up his sleeves, to show gleaming metal gauntlets around each arm. Tilting his hands back, he produces two short plasma blades, vivid red in colour, from each wrists. "I call them hidden lightblades. Neat, aren't they?" he asks, while Kenobi runs a hand over his face, sighing.

Cody clears his throat. "… yes, sir, very neat," he says faintly. Kenobi's new Padawan is a little baby Sith. Of course he is – what other type of Force user would be so insistent to get to Kenobi, except a Sith? And what other Jedi except Kenobi would the council shackle with a baby Sith, except Kenobi?

Well, at least with this one he wouldn't have to be picking up a dropped lightsaber on the sidelines of every other battlefield.

"You have a lot in common, actually, Commander," Kenobi says ruefully and ruffles Miles' hair as the boy stares at Cody hard, like trying to see into his insides. "Desmond is a clone too."

He's a _what_?

* * *

"So, uh… sir, can I ask… how…?" Cody tries, while watching Commander _call me Desmond_ Miles flipping around the training hall, while Waxer leads the Padawan Squad in an exercise to get a handle on the kid's abilities. Despite the fact that the kid's versions lightsabers are _attached to his arms_ and he can't do any spinning tricks with them, he's blocking all the fire thrown his way just as any other Jedi.

"How he came about and how he's a Jedi, despite being a darksider?" Kenobi asks.

"It is a little odd, sir," Cody admits.

"I Searched him, nine years ago. It was an accident, I was on an unrelated mission on a planet on the brink of economic disaster – and right in the middle of it I found a black market cloning ring, who were producing re-creations of the planet's ancient ancestors. Desmond is one of them – a clone of a man who lived hundreds of thousands, if not _millions_ of years ago," Kenobi says. "He's a near human with some level of genetic memory, and those memories put him firmly on the dark side at birth – and as much as we, the Jedi Order, have tried steering him on a lighter bath, those memories are very strong."

"… right," Cody says, not quite getting it. "And despite the fact you've let him… stay in the order? Even though he's basically a Sith."

"To be a Sith is a choice – for Desmond, it's genetic. It's hard to begrudge a child for how and what he was born as. There are many predatory species in the Jedi Order – Master Yoda's species is one of the apex predators of the galaxy, you know," Kenobi says, which makes Cody give him an incredulous look. The General chuckles. "No, it's true. Master Yoda's species is completely carnivorous with predilection towards eating the _young_ of other species, sentient or not. But he has risen above his biological urges, as have many others."

"Uh-huh," Cody says, a little unnerved. "And now you're going to train the kid to be a Jedi knight, hoping he'll do the same?"

"That's the idea. He's a born killer, with an ancient bloodline of assassins," Kenobi says somewhat sarcastically. "But he is not without control and he does have a sense of right or wrong. With training and hard work and not a little bit of determination, I think he can manage his lineage's memories and urges."

Cody folds his arms, watching the little commander whirl around Boil and trip him to the training mat, making an imaginary stab on the clone's neck with his un-lit light blade. "You're dead," the kid tells the clone cheerfully, pats Boil's cheek, and then jumps after another clone, all but stalking them across the training hall.

Judging by the looks of it – and the sounds of their cheering – the Padawan Squad adores their little commander already.

Kenobi hums, watching his student take down another clone. "Desmond does, however, have an ability we will need to watch out for. He's a visual clairvoyant, which lets him see people's allegiances and intentions on sight alone," he adds then, quieter. "He can tell enemies and friends apart at a glance."

"Sir?" Cody asks, hoping for a clarification. "That sounds… useful, actually." Though he had to suppose it depended on who those enemies actually were…

"His natural instinct in the face of enemies is to kill them," Kenobi admits ruefully. "The first time I met him, he was not yet verbal but he still managed to convey to me that we should kill the bad men around us. And overthrow their government."

"I… see, sir," Cody says and clears his throat. "I'll convey your worries to the Padawan Squad."

"Thank you," Kenobi says, sighing. "But mainly, he should never be left alone with politicians. _Especially_ not High Chancellor Palpatine."

"Oh?"

"Yes, he's been plotting to assassinate the man since he was three years old," Kenobi admits.

Cody gives the man an incredulous look and then looks back to the training squad, the last of whom goes down in a clatter with Padawan Miles on the man's back, bearing him down with all of his weight, both hands on his neck.

"And you're dead," the kid says, satisfied, and the _dead_ clones on the floor cheer.

"This is going to be a disaster," Kenobi admits, smiling fondly at his new, murderous Padawan.

"Yes, sir," Cody agrees, wondering what would happen when Kenobi's various Sith admirers – of whom the man has seriously too many of – would think when they found his new student was a little darksider too.

Nothing good, probably.


	3. Anakin meets a toddler with a wrong name

Anakin meets _the kid_ for the first time just few days after Obi-Wan brought him to the temple. He'd heard about the kid by then, of course, they all had – rumours about a toddler with Sith eyes and Dark presence spread like a wildfire through the temple, and even in his lessons Anakin had heard about him… and about who brought him in. The rumours of his Master going through testing, of being questioned by the High Council, of being checked by the mind healers, all sort of stuff. They were pretty worrisome.

Obi-Wan hadn't been much good for making him feel any better about it, just saying, "I found a special youngling in my latest mission, a Force sensitive – it's proving a little difficult to settle him in at the temple, but hopefully…"

Anakin had learned from the crèchemasters who gave most of his lessons that Jedi find Force sensitive kids like that all the time. Anakin had been on the older side of a youngling, but aside from that his finding hadn't been that unusual. Force tended to bring Masters to the doorsteps of students who needed to come to the Jedi Temple. So for Obi-Wan to find a random Force sensitive kid in his mission, it's not that weird. Nothing to be worried about. Nothing to be jealous off. The kid would go into the crèches, he would learn among other younglings, and many years from now he might find a Master among the Jedi, or not, as the Force willed it.

And then the kid is suddenly in their rooms, in the middle of the night, with no sign on how he got there.

"I told you, little one, you needed to stay with the nice lady and the other children," Obi-Wan is saying quietly, a little harried, as the little kid tries to climb up his leg. "They're going to take care of you, you'll be safe there. Don't you want to make friends there?"

The toddler pouts at him, his eyes glowing in the darkness, and insistently tugs at Obi-Wan's trouser leg. He's making little hopping motions, balancing on top of Obi-Wan's foot, like he expects to be able to just jump into Obi-Wan's arms, and the fact that it's not working is not computing with him. "Bah, bah," the baby says, insistent.

Anakin can feel the force flowing between them like a current – there's a bond between Obi-Wan, and the toddler.

"Yes, I know, but you will be safe. I have other obligations," Obi-Wan murmurs. "And I thank you for your care, but I don't need your help on my missions, really."

What?

The toddler pouts even fiercer at that, before blinking and then looking down, his gleaming eyes sharpening. Unerringly, his eyes find Anakin, who'd been hanging in the shadows of the doorway into his own room. Anakin freezes a little, feeling as though caught in the act, as Obi-Wan looks up at him.

"Oh, Anakin," he says, little helpless sounding. "I'm sorry, did we wake you?"

"I – no, I mean – uh," Anakin stops. He hadn't been asleep, he'd been tinkering with some Droid bits – but he was supposed to be asleep, so he can't actually say that. "Uh, it's – it's fine. Um, is that the Dark kid?"

"Don't call him that, please," Obi-Wan sighs ands crouches down to support the toddler a little better – the kid is sort of teetering on the edge of toppling over, leaning towards Anakin, staring with wide eyes. "Careful, little one," Obi-Wan says, a bit helplessly. "We don't have mats here, and the floor won't be very forgiving if you fall."

The toddler hangs onto Obi-Wan's hand trustingly and Anakin feels kind of annoyed at how Obi-Wan lets him, how secure and big and safe Obi-Wan's hand looks around the kid's back, how Obi-Wan's all but hugging the kid. Obi-Wan almost never hugs Anakin, and he's Obi-Wan's padawan!

Then the kid looks up at Obi-Wan and points a pudgy little hand at Anakin and says, " _Ih_?"

"Important?" Obi-Wan murmurs to the toddler and looks at Anakin. "Yes, he is, very important to me. This is my Padawan Learner, Anakin – he is the most important person to me."

Anakin feels abruptly very guilty for his annoyance, and little warmer towards the kid who looks at him in amazement and goes, " _Ooh_."

Anakin clears his throat, awkward. "You can understand baby talk now?" he asks, while the toddler drops down on his butt on the floor and then begins crawling determinedly over to him, Obi-Wan worriedly hovering over him as he fumbles his way towards Anakin.

"I can – sense his mind. He's very strong empath, and when we met on my mission, a sort of fledgling bond was formed," Obi-Wan admits embarrassedly. "He seems to sense intentions towards him, and I'm afraid I was the only one present who wished him well."

"Um," Anakin says, watching the kid approach, little palms slapping loudly on the stone floor. "That's… bad."

"He was in the mercy of some very bad people, yes, and latched on the first that offered him any kindness," Obi-Wan says with a little sigh, and then the kid reaches Anakin.

Not sure what else to do, Anakin crouches down to meet him, wincing a little as strong little toddler fingers grab hold of his bare leg, and squeeze. "Hey, oww, sharp nails," he says and detaches the kid's razor sharp talons off his skin. The kid latches onto his fingers instead, wobbling to his feet and staring at him. "Um," Anakin says, as the kid just… stares at him. "Hi?"

Obi-Wan kneels on the floor, hands hovering over the kid, ready to support him. "We think he might have some sort of sight based force ability," Obi-Wan murmurs. "And maybe some form of psychometry."

"That's the – the touch thing, sensing memories, echoes, in objects?"

"And in people, sometimes," Obi-Wan agrees and then, as the little kid turns to look at him, pointing at Anakin. "Oh dear," the Jedi Knight says, amused.

"What?" Anakin asks, worried.

Obi-Wan chuckles. "He's decided he's going to protect you with his life."

"Um. Okay. Thanks?" Anakin offers and the kid falls on his bum on the floor again. "You're a weird kid," he says with a snort, and ruffles the kid's fine hair. "But I guess you're alright. Does he have a name?"

"Not yet – or there was a name his, uh… care takers called him, but it's not so much a name as it is a designation. I suppose the crèchemasters will give him a name," Obi-Wan muses, supporting the kid with one hand lightly on his back. "I should take him back. Force knows how he got here."

"Maybe someone brought him here?" Anakin suggests. "To see you?"

"In the middle of the night? I doubt it," Obi-Wan says and as the kid between them yawns, he scoops him up to his arms. "He should be in bed – and so should you, my young Padawan."

Anakin hovers between preening and bristling at that – partially loving and partially hating the weird little possessive article. _my young padawan_ , it's best kind of claim but it's still a claim and he's still getting used to it. But it's what Qui-Gon called Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan uses it _fondly_ , so… so it's good. "Yeah, alright," he says and stands up too. "I'm glad you're back, Master."

"Me too," Obi-Wan says, ruffling his hair while the weird yellow eyed kid leans against his chest. "Go to bed, Anakin."

"Alright. Bye, little weird youngling," Anakin says to the toddler. "Good night."

"Eeah," the toddler answers and gives him sleepy little a wave. "Buh."

Yeah, the kid's alright.

* * *

The kid keeps showing up in their rooms. It first it's just during the nights which, Anakin figures, are the times he has easiest time escaping the crèche. Obi-Wan at first takes him back immediately every time, but sometimes he's too tired and the kid is being too much trouble and in the end the kid stays until morning, usually sleeping with Obi-Wan. Then, as the toddler grows a little better at walking – and immediately after, running – he starts turning up in their rooms in the middle of the day too, regardless of if anyone is present or not – and usually there isn't, with Obi-Wan on missions a lot, and Anakin at lessons.

Anakin tends to be the one who finds the kid most during the day time.

"Here again, squirt?" Anakin asks, finding the kid sitting on Obi-Wan's meditation mat for the umpteenth time, playing with a wooden practice sabre, banging it idly against the floor. "How many attempts did it take you to escape this time?"

The toddler gives it a serious thought and then puts up three pudgy baby fingers. Anakin snorts and goes to pick him up, gratified how quickly the kid reaches for him when he does. He didn't in the beginning – Obi-Wan is the only person the kid consistently wants to be picked up by. But Anakin is getting there.

With the kid in his arms, Anakin turns to the communicator, and calls the crèches. "Master Waeenn, the kid's here again," he says, as the crèchemaster answers the call.

"Ah, thank the Force – thank you, young Skywalker. Can you hold Seve-Tan a moment until I can come get him with the Tooka Clan?"

"Yeah, no problem, I'll be here," Anakin agrees and closes the call, looking at the kid. The kid does not look at all like a _Seve-Tan_ , but what does he know – apparently he's named according to the temple traditions or something. Obi-Wan had a Temple name too, as did Qui-Gon, so it sort of works, but… eh. Seve-Tan. It doesn't sound right at all.

Whatever. "You hungry, squirt?" Anakin asks.

Seve-Tan answers by slapping a hand on his face fondly.

"I'll take that as a no. Wanna watch me make a thing go whir and click?"

Kid's not bad company, when he's not trying to escape from the crèche. Anakin can just sit him on the floor of his room, and he will stay there, content staring at Anakin as he tinkered with bit of electronics or a part of a droid or whatever else struck his fancy. And he was pretty good listener too.

"I'm thinking monitor droid," Anakin says, holding up the parts he's working with. "Just a little one. I'll make it hover like the practice droids in the training salles, but this is just going to be a watcher. It's going to follow you around, and keep track of you."

"No," Seve-Tan says.

"That way if you get lost, we can find you," Anakin continues and sets the parts down. "And maybe it can lead you back if you get lost and don't know where you're supposed to be going. Would you like that, Seve-Tan?"

" _No_."

Anakin blinks and then turns to look at him. "Are you actually saying no, or are you just babbling, Seve-Tan?"

The toddler pouts at him. "No," he says.

"No monitor droids?"

Seve-Tan shakes his head vehemently.

Anakin tilts his head. "Huh," he says. Going by how Obi-Wan talks with the kid, it's kinda obvious Seve-Tan can understand stuff, but with him being nonverbal it had been a bit hard to buy it. But here he is, with an actual word and apparently completely understanding what monitor droid meant. "Obi-Wan is not going to be happy to learn your first word is no."

"No," the kid agrees and crawls over to him, to pat insistently at his foot.

Anakin grins and picks him up, sitting him in his lap. "Alright," he says. "No monitor droids. What should we build then?" he asks, and immediately the baby reaches for the knife Anakin had been using to scrape crusted up oil off the parts. "No, no, no don't touch that, that's sharp!"

Seve-Tan pouts at him, letting out a little noise of hurt.

"Yeah, I'm the bad guy for not letting you play with knives, sure," Anakin says with a snort. "Right, okay. How about we build a… a droid toy? A little tooka droid to follow you around, that'd be cute, right, Seve-Tan?"

" _No_ ," the toddler sighs petulantly and leans against his chest, looking bored. "You're one weird kid," Anakin murmurs and ruffles his hair. "Okay, no monitor droids, no toys because you're a weirdo who wants to play with sharp objects and training sabers, right. How about a…"

* * *

Every now and then they get visitors from the Senate in the Jedi temple. It's some sort of traditional thing or whatever, Anakin isn't sure – something about the bonds between the Jedi Order and the Republic Senate, blaa blaa. Either way, sometimes they get these entourages of fancy people touring the Temple and gawking at everything like tourists, watching the saber practices and oohing at the group meditations and probably making a mess of the best room in the temple, the Room of Thousand Fountains.

Anakin usually doesn't have anything to do with the tours – he's neither good enough at sabers to be put on display and he doesn't like group meditations and he doesn't much care about getting gawked at by bunch of rich people either. He's much happier skipping the whole thing in favour of even more boring temple lessons, or just for staying in his rooms, studying or tinkering or whatever.

Today's different, though – today, Chancellor Palpatine is coming, and he asked to see Anakin specifically, because he _remembered_ Anakin from Naboo. Which would be kind of wizard, except…

Except the kid is there.

"Uh," Anakin says, looking between the Padawan who came to get him, and at the kid sitting on his bed. "I'm – I would be honoured of course, but I'm kind of on… babysitter duty?"

"Is that the _Sith kid_?" the Padawan asks, amazed, as Seve-Tan peers at him suspiciously.

"I mean – I guess? That's what everyone says anyway. I don't really see it, though," Anakin says, shrugging his shoulders. He can sort of feel Seve-Tan using the Darkside sometimes, but he's not as sensitive as Obi-Wan so to him it just feels like normal Force usage – sorta _angry_ Force usage, maybe.

"Why is he _here_?" the older Padawan asks, wide eyed and a little nervous. "I thought they kept him, like, separate from people or something. Should he be on the loose like this."

Anakin immediately feels a flash of protectiveness over Seve-Tan. "What, like in a _closet_? He's just a little kid. Seve-Tan likes my master so he keeps sneaking away into our rooms all the time," he says and, impulsively, picks the kid up from his bed. Seve-Tan is still staring at the older Padawan with sort of – okay, yeah, he's staring at the girl like trying to figure out where to kick her, but he doesn't even know her, it's normal – and she is staring at him like he's _wrong_ and that's wrong, and you know what, Anakin's not even going there.

"Where did they want me, then?" he asks, lifting Seve-Tan securely to sit against his hip.

"Should you take him to the crèche first?" she asks.

Anakin narrows his eyes. "No. I'm baby sitting. Where did they want me to go?"

The Senators and their attaches and attendants and whatever are dining with the Jedi, and that's where they want him. Obi-Wan is already there, with that pinched look of polite interest on his face that tells Anakin he would rather be almost anywhere else – he's sitting beside Senator Palpatine and his entourage.

Both their eyes seem to brighten visibly at the sight of Anakin – and then they both frown at the sight of Seve-Tan.

"What, he snuck in again," Anakin says to his Master, and then winces as Seve-Tan suddenly takes a _death grip_ on his arm. "Ow, hey, squirt, what _now_ – "

Seve-Tan is staring at Palpatine with his eyes wide and his face frozen.

"Oh, that's a – precocious looking child," Palpatine says, smiling through his frown and looks away, to the other Senators, to Obi-Wan. "I didn't know you had Padawan learners taking part in babysitting here in the temple. I was under the impression you had crèches for that sort of thing?"

"There are special circumstances, but yes, ordinarily," Obi-Wan says while quickly standing up. "Here, Anakin," he says, even as Seve-Tan reaches for him. "Let me take him. I'm sorry for the disturbance, Senators, Seve-Tan is –" he stops, blinking, as Seve-Tan leaps from Anhakin's arms into his, and for a moment gives the kid a puzzled look. "Ah," he says, faint, his face draining of all colour.

"Master?" Anakin asks, worried, looking between Obi-Wan and Seve-Tan – who is still staring at Palpatine like he doesn't dare to take his eyes off the man.

"Is something the matter?" Palpatine asks, smiling politely, if somewhat fixedly

"No, ah – no, apologies," Obi-Wan says. "Excuse me, I need to take young Seve-Tan back to the crèche. Anakin, do you want to –"

"No," Seve-Tan says, loud. "No, no, _no_!"

"Excuse me," Obi-Wan says and presses the by now flailing toddler against his chest, hurrying out of the dining hall before he makes worse scene. There's a sort of stilted quiet after, until Seve-Tan's wailing gets too distant to hear.

"Well," Senator Palpatine says, chuckling. "I suppose children are children, even in the Jedi Temple. Poor little tyke." There's a murmur of polite chuckling and then Palpatine motions to the seat Obi-Wan had vacated. "Would you like to join us, Young Skywalker?"

Anakin hesitates, glancing after his master – he'd never heard Seve-Tan just _wail_ like that. The kid sounded so scared. He kind of wants to go after Obi-Wan and see what's wrong… but some of the other Jedi in the table are giving him pointed looks, and so, with a sigh, Anakin takes seat. "Thank you for inviting me," he intones, uncomfortable. "I'm very honoured."

"No, no, my dear boy, honour is all mine," Palpatine says, smiling. "I still remember the tremendous favour you did for my planet, still very grateful – do tell me, how has your time in the Jedi Temple been?"

Anakin sighs. This is going to be a drag. "It's been great," he says, and braces himself to be bored. And he is. The only really interesting part is when Palpatine asks if he's been flying any ships and when he asks about Seve-Tan, but that's about it. Rest of the dinner is boring.

Ugh.

* * *

"No," Seve-Tan says, furiously clutching onto Anakin's leg. He has both arms and legs tied around it, hanging on like a barnacle.

"Uh," Anakin says. "I guess you haven't gotten Seve-Tan to calm down?"

"No!" the boy shouts, angrier.

"No," Obi-Wan agrees, sounding harassed as he runs a hand over his face. "He got the whole crèche into a tizzy and in the end both Waeenn and I agreed it would be best for him to calm down in comfortable _quiet_ environment. I'm afraid Seve-Tan –"

"No!"

"… saw something in Senator Palpatine that reminded him of where he came from," Obi-Wan says with a sigh. "Also, he's started to reject the name more."

"What, _Seve-Tan_?" Anakin asks, and the toddler looks up at him, pouting angrily. "Hey, squirt, we gotta call you something. It's the name the crèche gave you, and I agree, it doesn't sound like you at all, but what else are we gonna call you?"

Seve-Tan pouts furiously at him and then smashes his face against Anakin's leg, clutching on tighter. "No," he mumbles.

"His name is No, now," Anakin decrees and shrugs his shoulders fatalistically. "The evil baby has spoken."

Obi-Wan lets out a tired little chuckle and lets his hand drop. For a moment they just watch Seve-Tan as he sulks against Anakin's leg. "He did not like me leaving you with the politicians," Obi-Wan muses, scratching at his stubble. "Something about, uh… evil patrons and abuse of power. Also, while he hasn't a name for himself, he has a name for you."

"Oh? What, Anakin's not good enough for you, squirt?" Anakin asks, amused, and pats the kid's shoulders.

Obi-Wan hums. "It's almost a memory, a sort of… echo. You remind him very strongly of someone – someone very important. A blond haired genius, always tinkering away with forbidden things in his workshop."

Seve-Tan mumbles something. It sounds like _eoado._

"What was that, squirt?" Anakin asks.

"Leonardo," Obi-Wan says and Seve-Tan lets out a little sob.

"Oh," Anakin says, blinking. He's never, _ever_ heard Seve-Tan cry before. "What, I'm Leonardo? Aww, kid, don't cry," he says then, alarmed, as the toddler actually whimpers. "Um," Anakin says, rubbing at the boy's hair and shoulders, trying to comfort him. "Someone he knew before?"

Obi-Wan hums. "Maybe, but… I don't think so. This is something older, _much_ older. I think it might be a genetic memory."

"Huh," Anakin answers, rubbing Seve-Tan's shoulder gently. "Something with the cloning stuff?"

"I think so, yes. Or rather, it is the reason why he was cloned in the first place. His bloodline is very old, and very significant in some way – and Aacee economy revolved around the playing of bloodline memories stored in DNA samples," Obi-Wan explains. "I think Seve-Tan's are particularly strong – and starting to come through more. It might also be the reason for his… Force presence."

Anakin looks down at the kid. "And why he rejects the name. He knows it's not right," he guesses and then, as Seve-Tan loosens his grip enough, detaches the kid from his leg and lifts him in his arms. "There, there, squirt, it's alright. We'll figure your name, alright? It's okay, you'll remember and we'll fix it."

Obi-Wan smiles as Anakin smacks a kiss on the kid's cheek and Seve-Tan sighs. "It's not the name that has him upset – it's the politicians. I think the person he remembers, the one you remind him of, he didn't… do so well with politicians. And since you remind him of the one…"

"Right. Well," Anakin says and rocks the kid a little. "I promise not to see any more politicians, okay? No more evil patrons, ever."

Seve-Tan peers at him suspiciously, staring at him hard. "No?"

"Pinky swear?" Anakin offers.

Seve-Tan takes it solemnly, sticking a little finger into crook of Anakin's pinky – and through that connection Anakin knows, somehow, that the kid is absolutely willing to kill Chancellor Palpatine to keep him safe – and that his name is definitely not Seve-tan. For some reason, the last bit is more surprising than the first. "Desmond," Anakin says, blinking, and Seve-Tan's head comes up.

"Desmond?" Obi-Wan repeats, and the kid probably strains his neck, turning to look at him, eyes wide, shining. " _Desmond_ ," Obi-Wan repeats, and Seve-Tan – no, _Desmond_ – kicks his feet, making eager noises.

"Okay," Anakin laughs, relieved that the kid is suddenly in a better mood. "Desmond it is."

* * *

It takes just another such meeting with a bunch of senators to realise it's not just Palpatine – it's politicians universally, Desmond just tends to want to murder them on sight.

"Well, we're definitely not making a diplomat out of you, are we?" Obi-Wan muses, while the kid eyes another political entourage suspiciously, clutching onto Obi-Wan's robes and Anakin's hand like he can personally protect them from the evil, evil senators, and Anakin snorts.

"Pity Jedi don't believe in assassinations. I bet Desmond would make an great political assassin," he comments.

"Padawan!" Obi-Wan says, horrified. "Don't say that."

"What – there's bunch of assassins out there," Anakin shrugs. "It happens. I get that it's supposedly not done in the Republic, but it still happens, I read about it on my history class. And it was like… sport in Tatooine."

"Yes, I know – but don't _say_ that," Obi-Wan says, sighing. "Force, you'll give him _ideas_."

They both look down - between them, Desmond narrows his eyes, suddenly very, very calculating.

"Oh no," Obi-Wan sighs, and Anakin laughs.

"Evil toddler assassin," he says, grinning. "That's _wizard_."

"That's it, I'm revoking your babysitting privileges," Obi-Wan says with a sigh. "Come on, Desmond, back to the crèche with you – and can you maybe stay longer than a day there for once?"

Desmond considers it and then shrugs. "No."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ever since I wrote the first bit I had this in mind, lol. Desmond seeing Anakin and going like
> 
> Desmond: ⚙️ golden ⚙️ very important ⚙️ blond ⚙️good with tech ⚙️ wants to fly ⚙️⚙️  
> Desmond: Leonardo.  
> Desmond: must protect from evil patrons 🔪🔪

**Author's Note:**

> Decided to post this as it's own thing because there's lot of fun snippets I think I can do with this. There's probably not gonna be overarching plot, just sort of anthology of snippets in same universe sorta deal. Jedi Fallen Order characters might pop up later on.


End file.
